The Samuel Adams Beers of Summer Variety pack is an interesting group of brews. Of course, the flagship Boston Lager is included. My first "new" choice of the pack, the Summer Ale, failed to meet my expectations. It seemed confused as to what it hoped to be, and so it really didn't become anything distinguishable. It was bitter, its was sour, it was meh. After a couple weeks rest, I decided to have another crack at the 12-pack, this time selecting the Berliner Weisse. As a wheat beer fan, I was cautiously optimistic.

In what may be the most ambitious marketing language to emerge in 2017 (just think about the gravity of that statement for a minute), Bud Light has declared that IT is the antidote to an "overwhelming" craft beer market.

One of my earliest reviews was of a beer called Bombshell Blonde. I had picked it up by happenstance, building a six pack at Central Market and looking to round out after choosing five. I was initially drawn to the clever design of the can (branding counts guys!) and figured, what do I have to lose? Well, what I found that day was a wonderful brewery based out of Conroe, TX, whom I had never heard of but one that made excellent beer. Bombshell Blonde was absolutely delicious, and as I had no prior expectations, it was truly serendipitous. So when I was prowling the craft beer isle of my local Total Wine and more, and I found a can of Southern Star's Conspiracy Theory IPA, I knew I would have to try it.

Over the past few years, there have been many studies bemoaning the health issues tied to beer. Like many other enjoyable consumables (particularly red meat, bacon) alcohol is continually being put through the scientific ringer with researchers apparently unable to decide whether or not beer is good for you. Recently, I have seen a number of articles suggesting the health benefits of beer. While this is clearly not exhaustive, and the health risks of consuming large amounts of alcohol are well documented, if I can get science to tell me that drinking a beer is OK, I will drink a damn beer. So here's a rundown of some of the pro-beer science of recent weeks.

This is a beer that, seemingly, needs no introduction. Pliny the Elder has captivated the craft community for quite some time. Brewed by Russian River, based of of California, Pliny has developed a reputation for punching you in the mouth with 100 IBU of hops, but doing it in a lovable, classy way. With 174,000 reviews ratings on Untappd, Pliny has managed to maintain an obscenely high 4.55/5. So when I was presented an opportunity to do a beer trade for a couple bottles, I jumped at the chance.

Keeping up with the summer theme, I decided to review Victory Brewing Company's Prima Pils! What's better on a hot summer day than a clean, crisp, refreshing pilsner beer? Would Victory's offering meet expectations? Or would this be a mediocre player in a heavily saturated market?

And here we are. The final full review of the six-beer competition that was Battle of the Beers - Summer Brews. This one is very much the traditional summer-style pilsner beer. This is in no way a bad thing. Light, crisp and refreshing pilsner style beer can be a God-send on a 100+ degree summer day in Texas.

If you needed any encouragement to choose a beer over a soda, you've got it (especially if you live in Philadelphia). A Fox News report, dated August 8, 2017, suggests that an increased tax on soda now makes beer a more cost-effective option than its non-alcoholic competition.